19 December 2025
Radical Pairings: Publication available now
Radical Pairings is a new publication celebrating the work of five exceptional women artists who exhibited new work created during residencies with manufacturers in the North in 2022.
29 November 2025
Artist Films and Interviews with Matter at hand, Liaqat Rasul and Wash
Watch the latest short films in this series alongside interviews with artists Matter at hand (Lewis Jones) and Liaqat Rasul, as well as with Andy Walmsley, Creative Director of Wash.
27 November 2025
Our Festival Team’s Guide to Independent Makers 2025
For us, Lancashire Day is the perfect lead-in to Small Business Saturday, a moment to spotlight and champion small businesses and makers.
10 November 2025
National Festival of Making 2026: Open Call for Festival Workshops
We’re inviting artists, makers, creatives and facilitators to submit workshop proposals for the National Festival of Making weekend on the 4th & 5th July 2026.
5 November 2025
National Festival of Making Appoints New Chair and Board Member
National Festival of Making appoints Rosy Greenlees OBE as new Chair and welcomes Rachel Cunningham Clark to the Board.
23 October 2025
Peddie’s by Illuminos at Lightpool Festival, Blackpool and Light Up Lancaster
An Art in Manufacturing commission that was first shown at the 2023 National Festival of Making, Peddie’s by Illuminos + Cardboard Box Company is being presented at two light festivals in Lancashire this season; Lightpool Festival in Blackpool and Light Up Lancaster.
25 September 2025
Breathing Colour by Margo Selby at the 2025 British Textile Biennial
A co-commission by the National Festival of Making and British Textile Biennial, Breathing Colour by Margo Selby will be on display at the 2025 British Textile Biennial.
22 July 2025
Come As You Really Are – Exhibition Opening Times
Come As You Really Are is a new exhibition by artist Hetain Patel that celebrates the creativity, dedication, and individuality of hobbyists across the UK.
8 July 2025
Exhibitions: Extended Opening Times
If you didn’t manage to make it over the weekend, some exhibitions are continuing for an extended period.
10 June 2025
Festival Workshops: Top Tips!
Check out handy workshop tips to plan your day and make the most of your Festival experience.
21 May 2025
Apply to join our Board
The existing Board is seeking to appoint a new Chair and two new Board Members as we further expand its Membership to support the organisation’s governance.
25 April 2025
Primary School Nasheed Choir Project Announced in Collaboration with Hussnain Hanif
National Festival of Making is collaborating with internationally recognised Nasheed artist Hussnain Hanif to create a Blackburn-based Nasheed Choir.
12 March 2025
Kitchen Tables: Workshop Open Call
Artists and makers are invited to lead workshops at the 2025 festival, exploring the many creative possibilities of the kitchen table.
7 March 2025
Marquetry Workshop with Emily Parkin
Make your own artwork using winding techniques with textile artist and weaver Nowshin Prenon
6 March 2025
Sgraffito Workshop with Ben Hall
Join Ben Hall to explore the Sgraffito ceramic technique and create your own decorative pottery pieces.
5 March 2025
Winding Workshop with Nowshin Prenon
Make your own artwork using winding techniques with textile artist and weaver Nowshin Prenon
4 April 2025
Bottle Bag Workshop with NOTS
Learn how to make a bottle bag from paracord using knotting and macrame techniques with NOTS founder Emilia Jones.
7 February 2025
Join the National Festival of Making Steering Group
Are you passionate about creativity, culture, and community? Do you have ideas and insights to help shape the future of the National Festival of Making?
6 February 2025
UNESCO Toolkit Feature: The People’s Jury
Our work with The People’s Jury, Get it Done, Shared Future and Blackburn with Darwen Council is featured as best practice in the UNESCO Local to Global Toolkit.
4 February 2025
Makers Market: Stallholder Opportunities
Applications are now open for the Makers Market at our 2025 festival.
20 January 2025
Come As You Really Are: Get Involved!
National Festival of Making with Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery and Artangel present Come As You Really Are by Hetain Patel.
19 January 2025
Lancashire Food Traders and Producers: Become Part of the National Festival of Making 2025
Join us to showcase the best food and drink to over 30,000 visitors in Blackburn at the National Festival of Making this July.
12 December 2024
The Welcome Arch has been longlisted for the Riba Journal MacEwan Award!
The longlisted entries for the 2025 MacEwen Award are proof that architectural projects of any shape or form can bring significant benefits to communities.
4 December 2024
Small Business Day 2024 – Our Indie Picks!
With Small Business Saturday approaching, we celebrate our favourite independent businesses we’ve worked with over the years.
26 November 2024
Celebrate Lancashire Day 2024
On Wednesday 27 November, Lancastrians all over the world will be celebrating Lancashire Day, a showcase of the culture, lifestyle and achievements of the county.
31 October 2024
Art in Manufacturing Open Call: Darwen Terracotta & Faience Residency
The National Festival of Making is releasing a new Art in Manufacturing opportunity for an Artist Residency with Darwen Terracotta & Faience.
10 October 2024
Vote for us in the 2024 UK Festival Awards!
We’re thrilled to announce that the National Festival of Making has been selected as a finalist in four categories in the 2024 UK Festival Awards.
11 July 2024
2025 Festival Dates Released!
The seventh edition of the National Festival of Making will return to Blackburn, Lancashire on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th of July 2025!
10 July 2024
Art in Manufacturing: Extended Exhibition Opening Times
If you didn’t manage to make it over the festival weekend, two of our Art in Manufacturing installations are still available to view.
9 July 2024
Join Margo Selby’s Living Colour Chart
The Living Colour Chart is a legacy project derived from Margo Selby’s 2024 Breathing Colour artwork. This ongoing collection invites people to share personal colour memories and associations, exploring the connections we make with colour from both a sensory and emotional perspective.
24 April 2024
Dual Works Announced for Festival Co-Commission
Designer-Makers Dual Works Announced for Pendle Festival of Culture and National Festival of Making Co-Commission.
26 March 2024
Blackburn Urban Food Futures
Join us for a series of free workshops all about the future of urban food production! We’ve partnered with the University of Salford on a research project to develop future ambitions for urban food production in Blackburn.
21 February 2024
Basket Weaving Workshop with Cherry Chung
Learn how to make a willow bark basket with Cherry Chung in this hands-on basket weaving workshop.
20 February 2024
Tufting Workshop with Alena Ruth Donely
Join Alena from Manchester Tufting and create your own colourful bespoke rug!
18 February 2024
Live Brief 2024: Calling all students and tutors!
National Festival of Making is launching a brand new Live Brief to connect students across the UK in an industry challenge designed to support skills development.
15 February 2024
Opportunity: Bookkeeper and Administrative Role
The National Festival of Making is seeking to appoint a new team member to support the Finance & Operations Manager in bookkeeping and administration.
14 February 2024
Opportunity: Creative Alliance Internship
A new opportunity to join the National Festival of Making team through the Creative Alliance Paid Internship Programme.
5 February 2024
Pajaki Making Workshop with Karolina Merska
Learn how to make a Pajaki – a traditional Polish chandelier made from rye straw and paper with Karolina from Folka!
19 January 2024
Art in Manufacturing Open Call for Artist Residency with Standfast & Barracks
The National Festival of Making and British Textile Biennial are releasing a new Art in Manufacturing opportunity for an artist or maker to become Artist in Residence at historic fabric printing company, Standfast & Barracks, during their Centenary year.
18 January 2024
Open Call For New Festival Commission
The Festival of Culture and the National Festival of Making are inviting applications to create a celebratory, temporary structure to be installed at and transported between two festivals taking place in Lancashire this July.
5 December 2023
Tell us about your hobby and join the loudest presentation of our quiet pastimes.
Working with Artangel, we want to hear from you about your hobbies; from the arty to the techy, the nerdy to the super niche! Launching next year, the National Festival of Making joins a network of galleries and museums across the UK on a new project to assemble the largest display to date of our favourite pastimes.
27 November 2023
Small Biz Day 2023 – Our Maker Picks!
Celebrate Small Business Saturday with our team’s top picks and explore amazing makers from across the UK.
2 November 2023
Days out in the North of England with us…for free!
The National Festival of Making and Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery are inviting people aged 18-30 on a series of trips exploring some of the most exciting exhibitions and event spaces across the North of England.
1 November 2023
The Art of ‘Manufacturing’ Strong Community Ties in Blackburn
When Afghan evacuees Razma and Palwasha first arrived in Blackburn a little over 12 months ago, they had a simple request – they’d like a sewing machine.
3 October 2023
Vote for us in the UK Festival Awards!
The National Festival of Making is a finalist in three UK Festival Awards categories: Best Non-Music Festival, Best Family Festival, and Best Medium-Sized Festival.
19 May 2023
Art in Manufacturing Season 5 Artists Revealed
Five new creative collaborations revealed, as leading artists are paired with major UK manufacturers to create remarkable new work for the National Festival of Making.
20 March 2023
We’re Hiring! 4 New Opportunities To Join The National Festival Of Making Team
Festival of Making Community Interest Company is expanding its team following a successful period of organisational development and fundraising. As a new Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, we now have 4 fantastic opportunities to join our small and dynamic team.
9 March 2023
Open Call for Artist Residencies with Cardboard Box Company and SWS UK
New Art in Manufacturing opportunities for artists or makers to become Artist in Residence at one of two partner manufacturers: Cardboard Box Company and SWS UK.
1 March 2023
National Festival of Making + Studio Critical: Spoon Carving Workshop
National Festival of Making and designer and maker Nick Vorstermans from Studio Critical: invite you to take part in a Spoon Carving workshop using locally sourced, sustainable green wood salvaged from urban trees that fell naturally or were trimmed.
20 February 2023
Open Call Opportunities for the National Festival of Making 2023
Artists, makers and creatives are invited to apply for newly released opportunities at The National Festival of Making.
10 February 2023
National Festival of Making + byUMBERTO: Sign Writing Workshop
Join Robert Walker (byUMBERTO) for a sign-writing workshop at Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery, part of The National Festival of Making.
26 January 2023
National Festival of Making + Hollie Cooper Pottery Workshop
Join artist Hollie Cooper in a two-part pottery workshop. Working with clay, you will learn the hand-building process of ‘drape-forming’ to create your very own bespoke ceramic plate.
4 November 2022
Festival of Making CIC joins Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation
Festival of Making Community Interest Company joins Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation.
22 September 2022
Assembly: Contemporary Sculpture Workshop with Maisie Pritchard
Learn the process of ‘paper pulping’ to create bold, contemporary sculpture as part of a collaborative project with artist Maisie Pritchard.
3 August 2022
Chair of the Board of Directors: Jamie Holman
We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Chair of the Board of Directors, artist and educator, Jamie Holman.
24 January 2022
2022 Festival Dates Released!
The fourth edition of the National Festival of Making weekend will return to Blackburn, Lancashire, on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th of June 2022!
13 October 2021
Adorning with Clay: Ceramic Jewellery Workshop Series
The National Festival of Making and artist Aliyah Hussain will deliver a series of contemporary ceramics workshops over an 8 week period in Blackburn town centre.
8 March 2021
Four New Board Members Revealed On International Women’s Day
Celebrate International Women’s Day with the announcement of four new board members joining our leadership team.
14 September 2020
Creative Activity Boxes for Pennine Lancashire Children
Thanks to National Lottery Players and with funding from Arts Council England, we’ve designed, commissioned, sourced, packed and distributed 600 boxes jam-packed with art materials, stationery, and creative activities.
15 July 2019
Disrupting the everyday – reflections on Art in Manufacturing
Communications volunteer Ellie Nicholls shares insights and reflections on our headline commissioning programme, Art in Manufacturing.
16 May 2019